What motivates you to do your beauty everyday? Lately I cant find any motivation!

[JezebelDiVine]

I can't get my self to want to do my hair and makeup HELP! I need inspiration for your gorgeous loungers!

 

[ThePowderKeg]

I put on my face every morning because it helps create the appearance of confidence and I find in general, when you look confident, people treat you better. In some ways, it's also an investment in my health - I want to look good when I'm older, so I try to take care of my skin now with moisturizer, sunscreen, etc.

Even if I feel lousy and completely disorganized, putting on make-up and making sure I'm wearing something that looks decent helps me fake being put-together. It also gives me one less reason to pass if a fantastic invitation pops up at the last minute.

Plus you never know who you'll run into at the grocery store.

I find this time of year is hard - here in New England it's been gray and nasty for what seems like months, so I'm sick of my drab hair, dull skin, and winter clothes!

Good luck getting inspired. Your avatar picture looks pretty and like you're having fun, so whatever you ARE doing for hair and make-up looks great.

 

[Rudie]

Where do you store your face at night?

 

[rue]

Part of my motivation now comes from being in a bad place almost two years ago. I'm not going to get into all of what was going on, but it had to do mostly with the housing market and not being able to sell one house to buy another (it happened in the end), among other things. Anyway all my life I've been the girl that never looked disheveled and my girlfriends even used to tease me about it, but one day I just was so unhappy about our situation that I stopped caring what I looked like. Mind you I never looked bad out of the house, but when I was at home some days I wouldn't bother even getting dressed or putting on makeup. This went on for about a year and then one day my husband looked at me and said "Are you ever going to fix yourself up again?" He went on to say that he loves me whether I put on makeup or not or if I was all dolled up or in jeans, but that he wondered what happened to the girl that he married. Well, that was enough for me and it was a huge wake up call, especially after I took a good look in the mirror.

Ever since that day I've been taking better care of myself. Another part of why I was upset was I had gained some weight and as we all know todays current fashion doesn't let you get away with any weight gain (the dreaded muffin top for one), so that's what made me really look into what I've always wanted to do which was dressing in a vintage look. I already lived the life and I've always loved it anyway, so I went for it. Now, not a day goes by that I don't put on my makeup, do my hair and work with what I have to create a pretty look. I feel that if you do your best to look good on the outside, you'll feel better on the inside. Besides, I don't ever want to go back to that sad place again

Everyone has they're own motivation, but mine was personal.
Sorry for the book

 

[LizzieMaine]

For me it's simple -- confidence, yes, poise, yes, and it also matters that I look like hell when I don't. And when you work in a job with a lot of public interaction involved going in with ratty hair, and a sour pasty-white baggy-eyed face just doesn't cut it. Except last Halloween, when I came to work as the Mother In Law Of Frankenstein and fit right in with the rest of the ghouls.

 

[MariantheLibrarian]

Like Lizzie, I have a job that requires a lot of public interaction, so that's my motivation on days when I have a bad case of the "don't wannas." The other is that sometimes I like to look like I actually slept the night before, and I have hit the age where no amount of sleep makes me look all that fresh-faced anymore.

 

[Miss sofia]

Like Lizzie, I have a job that requires a lot of public interaction, so that's my motivation on days when I have a bad case of the "don't wannas." The other is that sometimes I like to look like I actually slept the night before, and I have hit the age where no amount of sleep makes me look all that fresh-faced anymore.

It's the same for me too. I work with the public, so that's a major consideration.

Oh and i look like a complete dog without any makeup on. I'm at the age where a ponytail and a bit of mascara doesn't cut it anymore, unless i'm indoors.

Makeup and generally being done up is my armour against that big, bad world out there. I feel more confident if i look better when i go out. My mum always said to put your best foot forward when you step out the front door as you never know where you will find yourself or what could happen, so i always have that in the back of my mind. (And clean underwear in case you get run over and have to go to hospital)!!

 

[Drappa]

Haha, my mum used to say that about clean underwear. Not only that, but when I was young she used to iron my underwear for that very reason!
I personally don't have motivation to do my hair very often, but that is because I'm not good at it and find it frustrating. Make-up and getting dressed I love doing. As others have said, it makes me feel better about myself and more ready to face the day. I do put in less effort when the weather is terrible and I know I'll have tobe outside in the rainfor a few hours.
I find it also helps to only have clothes you love and that are flattering in your wardrobe, because then no matter what you do you'll feel better in them. Usually the motivation for the rest follows.

 

[angeljenny]

I don't always bother with how I look but I am trying to take better care of myself. I think the reason I sort of gave up was because I didn't think I deserved nice things or to feel happy - I have never been all that confident.

I am making an effort to look nice and have my hair and make up done for work everyday but at the moment it isn't coming naturally! I am hoping that at some point it will just click and I will be able to look in the mirror and not think yuk. It feels like a long process though! Getting interested in the vintage / 1950's look has helped a lot as I really love the clothes and make up and mind set so I feel more like my own person and not like I am trying to be like everyone else my age. I went through a phase of having super straight hair and wearing fashionable clothes and felt so uncomfortable. It just wasn't me.

I am gradually learning that being me isn't such a bad thing.

 

[Penny Dreadful]

I seem to be the opposite of Drappa. I admittedly never get dressed or put makeup on when I'm not leaving the house. But I ALWAYS do my hair. My motivation for that is that first of all I believe that the more I do it the better and faster I'll get at it, and I don't want to miss an opportunity to practice. I also know that I feel very blah and wrong with straight hair. The lack of confidence wouldn't be worth my temporary laziness.
One thing I've done that helps is to make things more efficient. It might sound super boring, but if you have everything all planned out in advance ex. same basic makeup routine, pre-matched outfits in the closet, it makes it a whole lot quicker and easier, so it's just not a big deal anymore.

 

[Isis]

Too look neat and well-together really help with the general morale! I have had a bad winter health-wise with non-stop colds and an unusually stressful work situation hasn't helped either and at the moment it has all come to a point with a really nasty bout of laryngitis, which has kept me from work for weeks now. To fix my hair and face and dress nice makes it a little easier to not feel completely under the weather. To come home from work and feel totally exhausted and then see yourself in a mirror and think that, well, at least you don't look so bad, actually do help to make me feel a little better. And nw when I have to stay home and climb the walls it perks me up to look nice.

Also, my darling is a very sharp dresser at all times and I have to keep up with him, don't I? You have to think of your standards when you live with a dandy.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

I wear makeup on weekdays. I'm a wash-out redhead with no eyebrows so if I don't wear it I don't look the way I want to. I'm ugly without it.

I don't do my hair every day.

 

[RodeoRose]

I know it's a cliche, but: old films! This afternoon, for instance, I had a little film noir fest and watched Laura and Gilda; now my hair's all done up in rag curls and I can't wait to crack out my matte red lipstick and a black 40s rayon dress tomorrow.

It's funny, I personally find routines demotivating; I've found experimentation is what keeps me excited and motivated. I was channeling Clara Bow today with a curly faux bob, dark cupid's bow lips and smoky eyes. Tomorrow I'm going full-on 40s femme fatale. Monday, who knows-- maybe an updo and 30s makeup a la Mae West, or big hair and cat eye liner like Poison Ivy from the Cramps. I try to foster Multiple Personality Disorder with my styling routine so every day I have something new to try out. It makes every morning a surprise!

 

[NanaJen]

Beauty is my motivation

I know it's a cliche, but: old films! This afternoon, for instance, I had a little film noir fest and watched Laura and Gilda; now my hair's all done up in rag curls and I can't wait to crack out my matte red lipstick and a black 40s rayon dress tomorrow.

I always find old films inspiring too!

Getting yourself all dolled up really helps beat the mean reds, or it does for me at least. I was in a total funk yesterday, and even though the only plan for the day was running boring errands round town I put on a pretty dress and lipstick. I felt so much better by the time I got home, and had a lovely chat about vintage with a really sweet old lady at the bus stop too!

 

[Miss Golightly]

I know it's a cliche, but: old films! This afternoon, for instance, I had a little film noir fest and watched Laura and Gilda; now my hair's all done up in rag curls and I can't wait to crack out my matte red lipstick and a black 40s rayon dress tomorrow.

I always find old movies inspiring too - anytime I watch them (or an Audrey movie in particular) I always get a burst of enthusiasm!

 

[cherry lips]

Thank you ladies for sharing your stories! Sounds like I'm a mix between Penny Dreadful and RodeoRose. I set my hair one a week, so it's always pretty except for the last two days when it's in a ponytail or bun. I spend most of my time with dogs who love me no matter what I look like. I wear cat-eyes and no make-up. When I meet friends I dress well. On weekends however, I pull out all the stops! I play make-believe and go Hollywood, my face is my canvas! I do things with my hair I've never done before. I experiment with color coordinations. I often have a theme for the evening!

I admittedly never get dressed or put makeup on when I'm not leaving the house. But I ALWAYS do my hair.

It's funny, I personally find routines demotivating; I've found experimentation is what keeps me excited and motivated. I try to foster Multiple Personality Disorder with my styling routine

 

[Sylvanrealm]

I don't feel I look halfway decent if I don't dress up and do my makeup. It's not that I'm trying to look especially nice, I'm just trying to rise to the level of passable. Of course, then I go out and notice I'm oddly overdressed compared with everyone around me and I do in fact stand out. It's rather ridiculous, but I would still feel sub-par if dressed like the masses at University.

 

[sheeplady]

This is probably going to sound bad to some of you, but I set out my clothes months in advance. I wear "house clothes" around the house (I do a lot of physical labor and I regularly rip things, so these are old clothes).

I use a calendar and count the weeks and lay out my clothes for the days I will be leaving the house for work. I use a rack set out in the spare room, and line up my clothes according to warmth and day of the week. (I dress down on Fridays, typically a sweater and a skirt). I can do this for about three months at a time. (I work at home at least one day a week, so I typically only do it for three-four days a week). I literally wear every piece of clothing I have that fits the seasons because I have to. If I need to repeat an item, I write it down on a card and stick it so it shows above the rack where it goes (so I know to laundry it or to replace it on the rack after wearing). I often repeat wearing skirts and blazers.

I find this much more motivating (why would I want to dress down and have to pick something out when I have an outfit planned?) and less time consuming than picking it out on a weekly basis. I also find I don't have things that I never wear, even though I like them, which was a problem for me before.

 

[NanaJen]

Sheeplady... that's the most amazing organisation skills I've ever heard of! Deeply impressed

 

[Kirstenkat]

Sheeplady I knew someone who did that but a little smaller, she'd plan outfits weeks at a time. I could never do it but it sure sounds motivating and helpful.

To the OP I know how you feel, some days I wake up saying who do I give a crap, no one cares how I look. Especially when I'm not going to see my boyfriend when I'm at college. But I remind myself of how I feel on days I take extra time to beautify. I feel confident, I get stressed and pessimistic less, and anytime I pass a mirror i feel good about myself. It makes my outlook on the day more positive.